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#GivingTuesday – Burlington Bytes Style

Giving Tuesday hashtag

Here at Burlington Bytes, we don’t just give out beautiful websites, steadfast support, and effective business promotion, we’re also proud and grateful to be able to give back to our community and the causes we care about. So in the spirit of #givingtuesday, here are the charitable causes and nonprofits that our employees are giving back to today, and–– in their own words–– why they chose them.

 

Peter Jewett – Founder – Leeds, ME Food Pantry and the Huntington, VT Food Pantry
This year I’m continuing my annual holiday donations to the Leeds, ME Food Pantry, and the Huntington, VT Food Pantry. I grew up in Leeds and currently live in Huntington.  Both groups are operated solely by volunteers and put 100% of my donations towards getting food into the hands of the people that need it, typically by coordinating with area supermarkets to redirect expired or blemished product out of the waste stream.  Both allow families to pick up food during the week, and operate a program with their respective elementary schools to send food home with kids for the weekend. It’s astonishing to me that there are families in our country that don’t have enough to eat.

Jason Di Vece – Co-Founder – WRUV 90.1 FM
The radio voice of the University of Vermont and “Your Better Alternative.” WRUV is a rare bird. It’s a free format, community supported college radio station that relies on your support to remain ad free and fully funded. I’ve been volunteering there as a DJ and organizer for 5 years now, and the music you’ll hear left of the dial is truly unique. In a time when the public airwaves are dominated by corporate ownership and over played crap, it’s easy to forget how much music is really out there. Support creative freedom and independent thought. Give to WRUV

Andrew Stickney – CEO – Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is one of the nation’s most effective organizations in ending animal cruelty, puppy mills, fighting, and helping animals in need.  I’m giving to the Humane Society because they work to save and improve the conditions of animals that make our lives so rich and ask so little in return.  

Greg Schoppe – Production – Camp Ta-Kum-Ta
I’ve selected Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, which is a year-round camp that provides children with cancer and their families a way for experience some of the normal childhood experiences that might otherwise be impossible, due to their condition.  Camps like this help to improve the morale of children undergoing cancer treatments, which has a proven positive impact to outcomes.  Everyone knows someone who has suffered from Cancer, but it is particularly hard when it is a child dealing with this disease. Camp Ta-Kum-Ta helps make sure that the condition that robs them of their health, doesn’t also rob them of a childhood.

Ellie Miner – Digital Marketing – The Warmth Program
Staying warm through a Vermont winter is no easy feat, and it’s made that much harder when you can’t afford to keep your house warm. I chose to donate to the warmth program to support an organization that helps Vermonters with their heating bills so their homes can be a refuge from the cold, because nobody deserves to suffer through a Vermont winter without access to heat.

Scott Kliczewski – Digital Marketing – Lake Champlain Committee
This Giving Tuesday I chose to donate to the Lake Champlain Committee (LCC), a bi-state citizens’ organization dedicated to the health and accessibility of Lake Champlain. The LCC works to protect and restore water quality, safeguard natural habitats and preserve recreational areas in and around Lake Champlain. The preservation of Lake Champlain is extremely important to me as I spend countless hours around the lake swimming, biking, paddle boarding, camping and relaxing throughout the year. The protection and preservation of Lake Champlain should be front of mind for anyone who lives around and enjoys the lake!

Aaron Silber – Support – Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has been instrumental in the fight to protect free speech, fair use, innovation, and privacy on and off the Internet. Their mission to defend digital freedom is more important now than ever. The EFF’s work has served to protect political activists, independent journalists, and average Internet users across the country.

Mitch Berriman – Digital Marketing – Vermont Public Radio
I’m choosing Vermont Public Radio (VPR) as my non-profit or charity to donate to for this Giving Tuesday. As someone who listens to podcasts on my way to and from work and while at work, it’s great to have VPR Vermont Public Radio streaming the latest about our community here in Vermont. VPR keeps me informed and updated on important developments in our state and helps me feel more connected to our community. The value of having a community voice over the airwaves can’t be overstated and in today’s world, it’s easy to reach the masses with important information to keep us all informed and better educated.

Sarah Cootey – Digital Marketing – All Breed Rescue
I’m choosing to donate to All Breed Rescue for Giving Tuesday. I had the pleasure of volunteering there last year and saw first hand how the organization changes the lives of dogs, volunteers and the dedicated staff that works there. Their efforts to rescue dogs from the south are truly inspiring, and I’m eager to help them this holiday season to continue providing nurturing homes to rescues of all breeds.

Ben Stein – Production – ASPCA
I like the ASPCA for my charity.  They provide material support to animal rescue organizations across the country as well as developing and promoting animal welfare programs for shelters, and rescues nationwide.  They also provide emergency support for large-scale issues like massive animal hoarding cases, hurricane relief, and other natural disasters.  They’re basically the FEMA of the animal welfare world, only without the bureaucratic bloat.  

Casey Morrison – Production – Planetary Society
The Planetary Society is a non-profit organization that works to educate and empower the community by spreading scientific knowledge and encouraging critical thought. I choose to support the Planetary Society because I believe in a future built on a foundation of science and reason. I believe human achievement through scientific advancement is a great unifying force, and with more public awareness and a more scientifically literate community, we can move toward a brighter future.

Lilly Thompson – Support – Vermont Public Radio
With “fake news” becoming a real epidemic in our society over the last year or so, now is the time to support news outlets that are dedicated to keeping it real by serving hard facts. With Vermont Public Radio’s connections to NPR and BBC News, there isn’t a more well-rounded news source available to Vermonters. This is why I support VPR today with a donation and every day by tuning in on my commute to and from work.

Nick Romano – Production – Humane Society of Chittenden County
The Humane Society of Chittenden County is an organization whose mission is to foster compassionate treatment of animals and to prevent animal suffering. I want to support HSCC because of the 3 adopted four-legged friends running around at my home right now. Giving to HSCC means that more animals can find their forever home, and bring peace, happiness and licks to people all across Vermont.

Sam Reinhardt – Animal Welfare Institute
Recent reports show that elephant poaching in Kenya is on the decline, and the Animal Welfare Institute attributes this in large part to the aerial patrol efforts of the Kenya Wildlife Service. These patrols not only keep a lookout for poachers, but also survey wildlife, deliver supplies to rangers, and keep animals from wandering out of the national parks. For Giving Tuesday, the AWI is trying to raise $10,000 to purchase fuel, parts and equipment in support of that initiative. I hope that the AWI can reach their goal, and I’m happy I could help contribute to it.

Andrew Allen – Support – Dementia Discovery Fund
I choose to donate to the Dementia Discovery Fund in memory of my grandparents who recently passed away. I hope to see tremendous advancement in the treatment and cure of this terrible disease in my lifetime.

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